The Minster Junior School

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this school?

Pupils enjoy school and are proud members of the Minster community. Pupils' behaviour is exemplary. The 'CALM code' helps to ensure that staff and pupils understand what is expected of them.

They live by the school's values, such as respect and honesty. Pupils are kind and caring to one another. At social times, they play happily together.

Pupils know that there are trusted adults to help them with any worries that they may have. This makes them feel safe.

The school's work to promote pupils' broader development is extensive.

Alongside the academic curriculum, pupils have a wealth of opportunities and experiences. For example, pupils take part in man...y art and sports competitions as well as educational visits, including to other places of worship. Pupils develop their leadership skills through roles of responsibility, such as being part of the eco-council and school council or by becoming a sports leader or an advocate or faith ambassador.

The school has high expectations for pupils' achievement. Pupils rise to these expectations. They are diligent and focused learners.

They take their learning seriously. Typically, pupils achieve well and are prepared successfully for the next phase of their education.

What does the school do well and what does it need to do better?

The school, trust and governing body have a shared vision to provide pupils with the best possible education.

The school is reflective and has an accurate view about what is working well and what needs to be further improved. This is supported by the trust and governing body who hold the school to account effectively while also being supportive.

The school's curriculum is ambitious and inclusive.

Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities access the same curriculum as their peers, with effective adaptations identified and provided to help all pupils to learn well. Well-considered professional development means that staff quickly identify pupils' needs and put the right support in place. For example, in physical education, pupils use different-sized equipment so that they can all take part in the learning and be successful.

The curriculum has recently undergone changes. Overall, pupils achieve well. In the subjects where these changes are having the greatest impact, the planned learning is closely matched to the precise knowledge and skills that have been identified for pupils to know and remember.

In the subjects that are less developed, curriculum thinking is not as refined. In these subjects, learning is not as focused and purposeful. This is because the school has not set out as clearly the crucial knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn.

As a result, sometimes activities are not closely linked to the intended learning and there are occasions where there is too much information and vocabulary for pupils to learn at a time.

Across the curriculum, teachers check pupils' understanding regularly. This is more effective in the subjects where the intended learning is clear as teachers know precisely what to check.

This helps teachers to identify any gaps or misconceptions and address them quickly. However, in a few subjects, the school is not as skilled in using strategies to check and improve pupils' understanding.

Reading is a priority.

The curriculum focuses on developing specific reading skills using high-quality texts, with pupils' progression as readers well promoted. Pupils who need additional support get the help they need to catch up, including extra phonics teaching where this is necessary. The books that pupils read are well matched to their reading ability.

As with some of the less-developed curriculum areas, there are occasional instances when the school's approach to teaching reading is not as sharply focused on the intended learning as it could be. On these occasions, it is harder for pupils to remember and apply all that they are taught. This reduces their progress towards reading fluency.

The school has robust oversight of pupils' attendance. Supported by the trust, the school takes effective action to reduce pupils' absence. Attendance is improving over time.

The school continues to keep close oversight of this and takes action as soon as it is needed.

The school's excellent personal development provision helps to prepare pupils for life in modern Britain. Pupils learn to respect and value difference.

They know that everyone has the right to be treated equally. The school's ethos and values support the development of pupils' character. Pupils demonstrate this in their exemplary behaviour in lessons and around the school.

They are taught about their feelings, emotions, relationships and their own well-being. Pupils know how to keep physically and mentally healthy. In addition, pupils are able to attend a wide selection of clubs.

These range, for example, from music, cooking and debate to arts and crafts and board games.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

What does the school need to do to improve?

(Information for the school and appropriate authority)

• In some subjects, the precise knowledge and skills that pupils need to learn and remember are not clearly identified.

There are times when the activities that pupils complete do not support the intended learning. On occasions, this results in pupils' working memory being overwhelmed with too much information. The school should ensure that the curriculum clearly identifies the crucial learning and supports pupils in remembering what they have been taught.

• In a few subjects, the school's vision for the curriculum is not fully realised in practice. Some pedagogical approaches are not as effective as they could be in ensuring that pupils' understanding develops well over time. The school should strengthen its expertise in these subjects so that teaching has the maximum impact on what pupils know and remember.

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